Thai Shrimp-and-Coconut Soup with Lemongrass

Top Chef winner Harold Dieterle's feel-good Thai coconut soup is flavored with chiles, ginger, and lemongrass, and garnished with plenty of shrimp.

Total Time: 0:45

Cook: 0:20

Level:
Moderate

Serves:
4

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Ingredients

5 Thai chiles

4 stalk fresh lemongrass

4 clove garlic

0.33 c. coarsely chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 large shallot

1 tbsp. coconut oil or vegetable oil (see Note)

3.50 c. unsweetened coconut milk

0.25 c. dark brown sugar

2 tbsp. dark brown sugar

0.25 c. Asian fish sauce

0.25 c. tamarind concentrate (see Note)

6 fresh kaffir lime leaves (see Note)

3 tbsp. fresh lime juice

salt

Freshly ground pepper

0.75 lb. shrimp

Cooked rice vermicelli or steamed rice

Directions

In a blender, combine the chiles, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, shallot, and 1/4 cup of water, and puree until smooth.

In a medium saucepan, heat the coconut oil. Add the lemongrass puree and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the coconut milk, brown sugar, fish sauce, tamarind, lime leaves, and 1 1/2 cups of water, and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the soup is flavorful and slightly reduced, about 15 minutes.

Stir the lime juice into the soup and season with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and simmer until slightly curled and just cooked through, about 1 minute. Ladle the soup into bowls, add the rice noodles and serve.